Baltimore Dance Crews Project

The Baltimore Dance Crews Project (BDCP) initiates and strengthens relationships that support youth from school to career through hip-hop dance. BDCP introduces schools and students to the joys of hip-hop through performances, assemblies, and beginner dance workshops.

In 2008, two Baltimore City teachers, Cynthia Chavez and Brian Gerardo, began leading after school hip-hop dance workshops to help teachers connect with their students. BDCP currently coaches afterschool dance clubs (affectionately called crews), three city-wide youth performance crews, and an adult dance crew that mentors students. The performance crews have performed locally as well as in New York City, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and Ottawa, Canada.

"Thanks to support of the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation and numerous other supporters, BDCP has turned the volunteer effort into a full-time non-profit that has brought hip-hop dance programs directly to schools and has served over 15,000 youth over the past five years." - Brian Gerardo